A few things:

1. Increase volume of bicep work
2. Hammer Curls (GOOD FORM) to the front, and cross chest
3. Close-Grip BB/DB Curls
4. Negative Close-Grip Curls (Cheat the heavy weight up, then lower it as SLOW as possible in curl form)

This has been a topic of contention for many years in the bodybuilding arena.

There are some very different opinions, and some people react differently to different methods.

However, here are some explanations for both:


PURE hypertrophy is not really recommended for cutting. However, high volume, low rest, high tempo, medium weight exercises, conducted at a cardio pace, have been shown to burn MORE calories per minute/hour, and engage more muscles during that time, than traditional strength training. That being said, if the primary goal is to cut body fat, this high volume cutting routine would be superior.

HOWEVER, the other thought process is that during a cut, you will substantially lose strength, and high intensity cardio style weight sessions will only further reduce this strength. This is actually TRUE. However, one of the primary reasons for strength loss is the lack of calories, lack of glycogen, and obvious Catabolism.

If one was to train strength during a cut, one would reduce the amount of calories spent and thus would reduce the amount of strength lost due to slower catabolic processes. However, strength training during a cut also opens the door for greater risk of injury, especially in the 1-5 rep range, now that your body is catabolic and not able to repair itself as well.

These, however, are both traditional cutting diets + routines, not to be confused with KETO, Intermittent Fasting, Zig Zag, etc. These other cutting routines all have different reactions.


I have seen some clients with extremely good results from low rep strength routines during a cut. Others, have had poor results and immediately saw great results when on a high-intensity cutting routine.



That being said, based on the multitude of various people I've trained, as well as the reduced risk of injury, and increased rate of fat loss, I tend to generalize my recommendations towards high-intensity cardio-paced weight routines during cutting to maximize results for a broad spectrum audience.

Hi Raynor, someone posted some accessories exercises to add with the 5/3/1 workout, it looked like this:

Day 1
Overhead Press - 5/3/1
Shoulders or Chest - 5 sets of 12/10/8/8/6 (DB bench, DB Incline, DB Military, Incline press, Dips, Pushups)
Lats or Upper Back - 5 sets of 12/10/8/8/6 (DB rows, Bent Over Rows, Chins, T - bar Rows, Lat Pulldowns, Face Pulls, Shrugs)
Triceps - 5 sets of 12/10/8/8/6 (Triceps Pushdowns or Triceps Extensions)

Day 2
Deadlift - 5/3/1
Hamstrings - 5 sets of 12/10/8/8/6 (Leg Curls, Glute - Ham Raise)
Quads - 5 sets of 12/10/8/8/6 (Leg Press, Lunges, Hack Squats)
Abs - 5 sets of 12/10/8/8/6 (Sit - ups, Hanging Leg Raises, Ab Wheel, DB Side Bend)

Day 3
Bench Press - 5/3/1
Shoulders or Chest - 5 sets of 12/10/8/8/6 (DB bench, DB Incline, DB Military, Incline press, Dips, Pushups)
Lats or Upper Back - 5 sets of 12/10/8/8/6 (DB rows, Bent Over Rows, Chins, T - bar Rows, Lat Pulldowns, Face Pulls, Shrugs)
Triceps - 5 sets of 12/10/8/8/6 (Triceps Pushdowns or Triceps Extensions)

Day 4
Squat - 5/3/1
Low Back - 5 sets of 12/10/8/8/6 (Reverse Hyper, Back Raise, Good Morning)
Quads - 5 sets of 12/10/8/8/6 (Leg Press, Lunges, Hack Squats)
Abs - 5 sets of 12/10/8/8/6 (Sit - ups, Hanging Leg Raises, Ab Wheel, DB Side Bend)

I've done 5/3/1 in the past, getting back into the gym and might so this workout as well.
My question is, would it lack of bicep exercise? Or the exercises above are good enough to earn size for the biceps?

Depending on your goals, it will be fine. Biceps isolation exercises are NOT for strength training, but rather for pure aesthetics. If you want bigger biceps, you need to train them 2x per week in addition to your regular routine.

Hello. do you mind giving me a workout plan/diet for cutting? thank you

Need ur height/weight/age and approximate body fat %.

Also any medical conditions and/or food allergies.

Is it true that if you have been cutting for long periods of time your metabolism is going to drop as an adaptation to the low amount of calories you're ingesting?

So if you cut at 1800 cal, your body will now adapt to only burning 1800? no matter your activity level?

And is this video true?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHzie6XRGk

You can do metabolic damage?

This post was edited by ForbiddenOath606 on Aug 12 2014 06:25am

Also if ya can your inbox full, need to send a message

can you give this for me to? tho, i want to concentrate around strength and building a nice body. maybe some cardio aswell, as i can't even walk up the stairs at work without nearly killing myself.

173 cm tall
71-72 kgs
19 years old

might have lactose and gluten allergy